Kenya's specialty coffee enjoys a strong global reputation, driven by a combination of high altitudes, volcanic soil, and a deeply rooted coffee community. About 70% of the country's coffee comes from roughly 600,000 smallholder farmers who work micro-plots of less than two hectares. Today, Kenyan coffee growers favour varieties known for high-quality yields, such as SL28, SL34, and Batian. Growers deliver ripe cherries to centralised Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS) for post-harvest processing before the coffee is sent to global markets.

This washed coffee from Cedar was processed at the Thunguri Factory, a washing station run by the Rumukia Cooperative Society that serves 425 farmers in Nyeri County's Mukurwe-ini region. The area features optimal coffee-growing conditions, including nutrient-dense soil and high altitudes. After wet-processing at Thunguri, the dried parchment is sent to the Othaya dry mill. There, the lot's cup quality is assessed, and the green beans are sorted into standard sizes (AA, AB, or PB).

Kenyan coffee is graded by size, shape, and density before export. For roasters, uniform bean size is essential for a consistent roast, as it prevents smaller beans from taking on too much heat. This coffee is from an AB grade lot, which corresponds to screen sizes 15 through 18, meaning the beans are between 6 and 7 millimetres in diameter.

Cedar's notes

"On espresso and filter, this coffee shows a vibrant blackcurrant character with bright citrus bringing lift and structure. As it opens up, a caramelised sugar sweetness rounds everything out, giving the cup balance and depth. In milk, it shifts into something softer and more nostalgic, reminiscent of a Crunchie biscuit, sweet, lightly honeyed, and still lively enough to carry through."

• Cup profile: Caramelised sugar, blackcurrant, crunchie biscuit

Coffee details from Cedar

"This lot immediately stood out as the kind of Kenyan coffee we've loved for years; classic, expressive, and unmistakably Nyeri. It has that familiar structure and clarity, with a vibrant acidity that feels intentional rather than aggressive.

"Thunguri, meaning 'a hill' in Kikuyu, is produced by small-scale farmers delivering to the Thunguri Factory, part of the Rumukia Co-operative Society in Nyeri's Mukurwe-ini region. Established in 1961, the factory has long been a collective effort to improve livelihoods through coffee.

"This coffee follows a traditional Kenyan washed process with a carefully managed double fermentation. After pulping, the coffee undergoes an initial fermentation, is washed, and then returned for a second stage. The process is closely monitored, with regular turning to ensure even fermentation. After washing and grading, the coffee is rested under shade before being dried on raised beds over 14–21 days, allowing the profile to fully stabilise."

• Country: Kenya
• Farm: Thunguri Factory
• Producers: Rumukia Co-operative
• Region: Nyeri, Mukurwe-ini
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,750 - 1,900 masl
• Varieties: SL28, SL34 & Batian